A couple goes for a walk by the water while two female friends walk down a path


Our work will not be complete until every young person in every community across the country—no matter who they are, where they live, or how much they earn—has the power to decide if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant and have a child.

We stand for equity. To us this means the promise that everyone gets exactly the information and access to care they need to achieve healthy outcomes—no matter their ultimate decision. They get it on their terms, from someone who understands and respects them.

Having that power is about reproductive health and so much more.

It’s about expanding opportunity for every young person.

Early adulthood can be both exhilarating and uncertain. The possibilities that present themselves to young people vary widely and are often shaped by factors out of their control, from the resources available in their community to the network of champions around them. We understand that our job is to fight for greater opportunity for all young people, especially those whose options are more limited.

It’s about self-determination.

Most young people say they do not want to get pregnant yet, if at all. We are committed to ensuring that young people, especially those whose lives feel out of control, can match intentions with actions.

It’s about understanding that opportunity, dreams, and reality look very different depending on who and where a young person may be.

We will honor the history, culture, and reality that inform the way each young person defines and pursues their dreams. We will respect the decisions they make about their futures.

Access to information and birth control alone can’t solve poverty, racism, economic inequity, or other social challenges that make it hard for all young people to create the future they want. But it can definitely give young people power over a major life decision that can limit their opportunities if they do not make that decision on their own terms.

We believe in young people. We are inspired by all the possibility they represent and all the many different ways they will create the future. Stand with us to ensure that the power to decide—and the opportunity it creates—is a reality for every young person.

Power to Decide has committed to reducing disparities in unintended pregnancy over the next decade, reflecting our increased commitment to health equity. Teen and unplanned pregnancy rates are higher among young women of color, young women living in poverty, and young women living in rural areas. A major reason for this is a lack of access to information and contraceptive options.
